1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a head restraint positioning mechanism for positioning a vehicle seat head restraint, particularly in the case of a rear-end impact to the vehicle. At least one impact device is arranged on a seat back of the vehicle seat and is movably connected to the head restraint. The impact device is, located in an area adjacent the pelvis of a passenger sitting on the vehicle seat.
2. Background Art
A head restraint positioning mechanism is disclosed in DE 10206894. This mechanism serves to absorb the reaction forces acting on the passenger sitting in the vehicle seat during an impact, particularly a rear-end one, to the vehicle. The head restraint moves in the direction of the head of the passenger, whose head is securely supported by the restraint in case of impact. In this arrangement of the impact device, it must be noted that the center of gravity of the passenger is usually located approximately in the stomach/pelvis area and that, during a rear-end impact to the vehicle, a corresponding force is first exercised on this area. As a result of this force, the area is pressed in the direction of the seat back of the vehicle seat. Only subsequently does the upper part of the body with the head, for example, also move in the direction of the seat back. Because of this, there is usually a gap between the passenger's head and the head restraint, which is at least reduced by the head restraint positioning mechanism. This likewise leads to an avoidance of or at least a reduction in a whiplash injury to the passenger.
The known head restraint positioning mechanism works reliably in this regard and has proven satisfactory in practical application. The cost of such head restraint positioning mechanisms is relatively high. This is due, for example, to the fact that different parts of the head restraint positioning mechanism are separately held in a way that they can pivot and also partially because separate pivoting levers are necessary for a pivoting arrangement of the corresponding parts of this known head restraint positioning mechanism. In addition, it has become apparent that the corresponding effective levers between the individual parts of this known head restraint positioning mechanism are relatively long, so that, on the one hand, this mechanism takes up a lot of room and, on the other hand, larger play is necessary for the different parts of this known head restraint positioning mechanism for positioning of the head restraint.